Nuclear Energy News Digest Compilation

NUCLEAR ENERGY NEWS DIGEST ; COMPILATION

The Hiroshima Syndrome is proudly hosting the latest edition of the Nuclear Energy News Digest. This week, we have postings by Dr. Gail Marcus, Dr. Jim Conca, and Rod Adams.

To read the full articles, please click on the individual links. Blog topics for this edition include…. The many “shades” of green energy technology, positive moves on the international scene, the changing global nuclear landscape and its geopolitics.

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From Dr. Gail Marcus at Nuke Power Talk (2) –

Comparing Energy Technologies: The Many Shades of Green

Dr. Marcus reports that she recently had an article published in Physics World called “How Green is Nuclear Energy?” The article, developed in response to a request from the publisher, was published as the lead article in a special issue, “Focus on Nuclear Energy.” She sums up her Op-ed piece thusly, “The whole point of my writing the article is that we need to move away from the simplistic views of energy technology that regard wind and solar as green because it is natural, and everything else as bad.” The online version of the article attracted a number of comments, which Gail addresses in her blog. http://nukepowertalk.blogspot.com/2017/04/comparing-energy-technologies.html

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Good Nuclear news: Positive Moves in Several Countries

In her other post, Dr. Marcus makes note of several “good news” items from abroad, including a report from the French Academy of Science saying that the current French policy of reducing the use of nuclear energy is unworkable, French and British collaboration on nuclear skills, and new regulatory initiatives in India and Japan. http://nukepowertalk.blogspot.com/2017/05/good-nuclear-news.html

From Dr. Jim Conca at Forbes – (2)

The Global Nuclear Landscape Is Changing And America Better Get On Board

The collapse of an old wooden beam-supported tunnel at the old Hanford, Wash. Nuke weapon’s site has been blown way out of proportion. The tunnel is the location for equipment and obsolete components that were used several decades ago. The equipment stored in the tunnel is assumed to contain some radioactive isotopes. But, it is not highly radioactive material that could possibly cause potentially harmful atmospheric release, and it has nothing to do with commercial nuclear energy! https://atomicinsights.com/nuclear-fear-purposely-created-can-overcome/

To read the full articles, please click on the individual links. Blog topics for this edition include… Advanced pebble bed reactors, Japan’s tsunami refuges are still forgotten, ways for nuclear innovation, nuclear and the Trump administration, MIT’s demonstration MSR, the world will “blow through” the 2oC increase no matter what, learning from Fukushima, and what happened with the Westinghouse bankruptcy.

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From Dr. Jim Conca at Forbes –

X-Energy Steps Into The Ring With Its Advanced Pebble Bed Modular Nuclear Reactor

It has been 6 years since the massive earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident holds continual interest with Japan’s Press, largely due to the unscientific hypothesis that low level radiation might be unhealthy. Unfortunately, the real disaster remains largely ignored by Japanese news outlets. But, the week before the anniversary some news outlets post a reminder about the plight still experienced by tsunami refugees. http://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/fukushima-commentary.html

From Breakthrough Institute and Jessica Lovering -

How to Make Nuclear Innovative: Lessons from Other Advanced Industries

What will it take to bring 21st-century innovation to the nuclear industry? How to Make Nuclear Innovative, a new Breakthrough report, makes the case for an entirely new model of nuclear innovation. Instead of conventional light-water reactors financed and constructed by large incumbent firms, the advanced nuclear industry will be characterized by innovative reactor and plant designs, new business models, and smaller entrepreneurial start-ups. https://thebreakthrough.org/index.php/issues/nuclear/how-to-make-nuclear-innovative

From Meredith Angwin at Yes Vermont Yankee -

Nuclear and the Trump Administration - Posted at Nuclear Engineering International

Though incapable of sustaining a fission reaction on its own, the researchers believe they can avoid building a stand-alone experimental prototype, which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requires. The hope is that this approach could cost hundreds of millions of dollars less and take half as much time to build as a stand-alone. The proposed “subcritical facility” would be replacing medical irradiation rooms once used for experimental cancer treatments. It would be about half the size of a typical demonstration reactor. MIT’s Lin-wen Hu says it would probably only require an amendment to the existing permit on MIT’s reactor. http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/campaigning-for-clean-air-via-pro.html

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World will blow through Two Degree CO2 and have to look at Geoengineering even if all electricity went solar and all cars are electric

On the low estimate for 1.5C degree change, the world is about 14 months away from using up the permitted CO2 emissions. On the low estimate for 2C degree change, the world is less than ten years away from using up the permitted CO2 emissions. China added almost 5% more power generation in 2016. This was 240 TWh added to China’s existing 5920 TWh. Almost half of this was coal or other fossil fuel power. http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/world-will-blow-through-two-degree-co2.html

It’s hard to believe that six years have passed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan that resulted in the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Over the past six years there have been many arguments about the merits of actions taken both during and following the accident and on the lessons learned to move forward. Are we learning the right lessons from Fukushima? Remember nuclear safety is all about protecting people. http://bit.ly/2oyijgg

From Dr. Gail Marcus at Nuke Power Talk –

Westinghouse Bankruptcy: What Happened?

In the wake of the announcement this past week that Westinghouse filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy as a result of the losses incurred in the construction of four AP1000 units in Georgia and South Carolina, everyone is trying to figure out what happened. There is likely to be a lot more evaluation of all the circumstances leading up to this bankruptcy, and a lot more guessing about what Westinghouse should have done. http://nukepowertalk.blogspot.com/2017/04/westinghouse-bankruptcy.html

February 20, 2017

348th Nuclear Energy News Digest

The Hiroshima Syndrome is proudly hosting latest edition of the Carnival of Nuclear Bloggers. This week, we have postings by Dr. Gail Marcus, Dan Yurman, Dr. Jim Conca, and Meredith Angwin.

To read the full articles, please click on the individual links. Blog topics for this edition include… the Presidential appointment process, Toshiba’s exit from the nuclear business, SMR Smart and the future of nuclear energy, and an endorsement for Meredith Angwin’s new book from a fellow blogger.

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From Dr. Gail Marcus at Nuke Power Talk –

Term Limits at DNFSB: Good or Bad?

In her last posting at Nuke Power Talk (“So You Want to be a Presidential Appointee?”), Gail related her personal experience with the presidential appointment process. This sparked several comments from her readers concerning the fact that board members holding terms that have expired can stay on. The thrust of the comments was that this is undesirable and may make experiences such as hers more likely. Several government boards and commissions that have somewhat different rules. In her blog, Gail reviews some of the differences, the history behind them, and the apparent effects of the alternative rules. http://nukepowertalk.blogspot.com/2017/02/term-limits-at-dnfsb.html